Well perforating control



W. G. OWNBY ETAL WELL PERFORATING CONTROL 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept.14, 1959 INVENTOR:

A rra/INE y Oct. 1963 w. G. owNBY ETAL 3,105,545

WELL PERFORATING CONTROL Filed Sept 14, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 iNVENToRSw 6. om@

5@ New.;

United States Patent O 3,15,546 VIELE.. PERFGRATENG CNTRQL W'arrenGillette Gwnby and Kenneth Robison, Hennen, Tex., assignors to Camco,incorporated, Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed Sept. 14,1959, Ser. No. 839,381 Ciaims. (Si. 16o-55.1)

This invention relates to the preparation for operation of fluidproducing wells and more particularly to an irnproved arrangement fordirectionally perforating from the inside of a tubing string and into aproduction formation and with direction control for effectivelyeliminating the likelihood of performing perforating operations in pathsto intersect and damage other tubing strings of a multiple completionwell.

An object of the invention is to enable two or more production stringsto be lowered into final position within a well bore which traversesseveral production Zones and after they have been properly set, cementedand washed, to then perform separate perforating operations from theinside of each tubing string into selected zones respectively forcompleting the well.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the simplified use ofwire line equipment to suspend and lower a perforating gun intoproximity to a known depth to be perforated and then to be positionedand oriented through a combined longitudinal and rotational manipulationfor controlling the range of a perforating operation within a regionaway from interference with other tubing strings extended therebelow.

A further object of the invention is to provide a perforating gun havingits charges directed for projection within a limited circular segment ofits body and a firing system which includes a magneto device whose polepieces are exposed at the periphery of the body and in lixed relation tothe projection direction of the perforating charges and are arranged incoded relation to magnet pole pieces carried within a tubing stringregion isolated at one side of the tubing string whereby gun travelthrough the tubing string and alignment of the two sets of coded polepieces for extending lines of force from the magnet to the magnetodevice, assures performance of the perforating operation in the desireddirection.

Other objects and advantages of the invention should become apparent inthe following specification and accompanying drawings wherein FIG. 1 isa vertical section of a portion of a dual completion well illustratingthe use of the invention; FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D are companion views ofthe improved perforating device in part side elevation and partlongitudinal section and with FIGS. 2C and 2D also showing a fragment ofa tubing string nipple in longitudinal section; FIG. 3 is a perspectiveview partly in section of a portion of a tubing string nipple having alongitudinal row of permanent magnets in a given side region of thecircular tubing nipple; FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic vertical sectional viewof a Well installation involving multiple production tubes with doublepackers in a cased hole and an alternative arrangement of magnets forcontrolling the direction of perforation; PEG. 5 is an enlarged viewpartly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a tubingstring coupling element on which magnets are located exteriorly thereof;FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fragment of one of the magnet mountingrings and FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram.

Following the drilling of a well whose bore has penetrated several fiuidcontaining formations as indicated at A, B, C and DV in the diagrammaticFIG. l illustration, it may be feasible to install separate tubingstrings in parallel for completing the well to different formations andalso provide for later blocking olf a previously completed zone andbringing in another zone through any of the production strings.Accordingly, at least one of the tubing strings should be of a length totraverse all formations and other strings economically can be shorter toreach upper zones, as seen in lFIG. l, and which for convenience shows apair of tubing strings positioned in an uncased bore wall and setpermanently in cement lilling the bore hole around the tubes.

To reduce the work and load on installation equipment involved insimultaneously making up two long tubing strings and lowering them as abundle into a well bore, it is here proposed to make up and lower asingle tubing string 1 of a length to pass all of the formations and eX-tend to the deepest thereof. Such string will incorporate inpredetermined spaced relation various types of nipples and inserts forco-operation selectively with control accessories of various types. Onesuch insert is a special nipple Z having a laterally projectinghollow-fitting or odset receiver 3 which carries a dependent tubingsection 4 of relatively short length to extend below the receiver 3. Alateral port or side passage 5 in the nipple 2 joins the interiors ofthe tubing string l and the receiver 3 for their selective communicationor block-olf, depending on flow paths to be established, under controlof a suitable tool, as, for example, a hollow ow control device 6 of awire line retrievable type, removably mounted Within the nipple 2 and insealed relation therewith above and below the passage 5.

Above the communication port 5, the upper open end of the offsetreceiver 3 has a coupling connection at 7 Wit tie lower end of a secondtubing string y8 in mignment `with the depending tubing section 4.Additional nipples 2 at other levels in the tubing string l and withoset receivers variously circularly spaced, will enable other productionstrings to be set in the well bore.

As part of the nipple 2, there twill be placed in given positions anumber of permanent magnets and similar magnet units can be incorporatedin other tool receiving nipples in both strings at selected depthlocations. The magnet unit 9 in the nipple 2 just above the side opening5 is shown as having two vertically spaced rows of circularly spacedapart magnets and are for co-operation with a known ty `e of runningtool suoh as that disclosed in patent application S.N. 803,049, tiledMarch 30, 1959, which detachably mounts .a control device and is loweredby wire line equipment so that magneto devices embedded in the runningtool will be inuenced by the magnets upon alignment therewith forreleasing and setting Within the tubing string any of various types ofconventional subsurface well tools such as the ilow control device 6previously described. When a given tubing string has a series of magnetunits 9 in spaced apart relation, the vertical spacing of the rows ofmagnets in each ring usually is different than others so that runningtools ha-ving pole pieces coded to certain magnet units can be employedfor setting tools at selected levels.

rl`he nipple 2 is also shown in FIG. l as having immediately below theside passage S a pair of magnet units it?, one in each tubing string. lnthis instance, in addition to vertically spaced apart rows of circularlyspaced apart magnets, each unit 1t? has Iat one side thereof a singleVertical row of magnets and the several magnet rows are for codedco-operation with field poles associated with magneto devices yforming apart of a perforating gun assembly whereby a per-forating operation willoccur only when the perforating charges `are at a given depth and aredirected in ia predetermined radial direction as will be controlled byalignment of the field poles of the several magneto devices and the polepieces of the magnets in the several circular and vertical rows, as willlater be referred to in greater detail. For permitting selectiveperforation at any of several productive formaaioaefie tions traversedby a well bore, several magnet units ill diiiering from one another asto spaced locations of the rows of magnets `will be incorporated in atubing string at given depths related respectively to the formations.

After the multiple tubing string assemblies have been lowered to thedesired positions in the well bore, they can be cemented in place byknown procedures by which a cement slurry is directed, for example,through the tubing string l, into the open hole so as to till the borehole surrounding both tubing strings and provide a solid plng l2. Thebottom of the extension tubing 4 Imay be closed by a suitable plugagainst entry of cement slurry and after the cement has set aperforating gun will be lowered through the string l for forming theflow openings ll into the lowermost formation A. Such perforating guncan be hung in spaced relation corresponding to the yknown distancebetween the formation A and the magnet assembly lil next thereabove andfrom a wire line running tool having magneto devices to be inlluenced ashereinafter described by the magnet assembly ld within the tubing stringl. Perforations into an upper formation B are also performed by a wire-line suspended device and controlled directionally so as to pierce andcoinplete dow passages into the formation on radial lines angularlyspaced away from intersecting relation withV the downwardly projectedtubing l. Well working devices can then be used for producing both Zonesand for performing various workover operations. Reworking can includeclosing oli previously completed zones Iand new perforating jobs atother zones at which gun controlling sets of magnets in tubing nippleswere provided.

In FIG. 2C there is indicated the detail of la magnet assembly lll. Atubing string nipple portion 13 is shown with an internal counterbore orpocket which receives in succession a magnetic spacer tube i4, anonmagnetic ring l5, a magnetic spacer ring 16, a nonmagnetic ring i7and a series of magnetic spacer rings i8. Examples of magnetic materimsinclude iron and soft steel and of nonmagnetic materials include copper,aluminum and resin Iplastics. rIhe longitudinal lengths of the severalrings 1548 can be of predetermined dimensions and the rings can also beinterchangeably related so that the upper nonmagnetic ring 17 can bevariously spaced axially in equal steps from the lower nonmagnetic ringl5. Adjustment in such spaced relation will enable a selective coding oftheparts to similarly equally spaced elements of control parts which`are to respond to the magnetic fields of permanent magnets 19 and 2lifixedly inserted in the nonmagnetic rings 17 and 1S and comprised ofshort plugs or discs that `extend radially through the respectivecarrier rings and are circularly spaced apart in annular rows. The innerand outer faces of the magnets 19 and 29 are of opposite polarity and ineach instance the lines of force between opposite pole faces extendthrough the nonrnagnetic carrier ring and protrude inwardly of theinnermost pole and into the hollow tubing string space.

Isolated to one side of the tube i4 and ritted Within a longitudinallyelongated opening, there is a nonmagnetic strip 21 having projectedtherethrough a number of permanent magnets 22 vertically spaced .apartin a single longitudinal row and the lines of force between the innerand outer end faces of these magnets will loop into the interior spaceof the tubing string and pass through the nonmagnetic carrier strip 2l.When the fields of all three groups of magnets t9, 2li and 22 aresimultaneously extended to inliuence magneto devices, there can besignaled the performance of work such as the well wall perforatingoperation. Each such magneto device can control the closing of switchcontacts serially connected in an electric control circuit for supplyingcurrent in a tiring circuit to lire the explosive charges of apenforating gun. The gun with a set of magnetic devices attachedthereto, consists of a wire line tool to be passaged through l thetubing string and red upon simultaneous closing of the seriallyconnected switch contacts.

The three switches indicated at 23, 24 and 25 each constitutes the`magneto device referred to and operates under the diArsonval principle.Each has `a current receiving coil pivoted to respond to a magnetic heldacross ield pole pieces on opposite sides of the coil for closing a pairof contacts. Such pole pieces for the switch 25 are indicated lat 21eand 27 and are for lateral alignment with any of the series of plugs 28arranged in proper vertically spaced relation in the wall 29 of the-body or a wire `line running tool assembly. This upper switch assemblycan be variously adjusted longitudinally of the body for alignment ofits field poles 26 and 27 -with any selected pair of plugs 28 forselectively modifying the spaced code relation between the two switchesZ5 and 212-. The pole pieces of the lower switch 24 are iixedly mountedin alignment with magnetic plugs 3l) carried by the wall 29. Such linedmounting results from lateral seating shoulders suitably formed on theswitch Z4 and the wall 29, together with the use of locating spacersleeves 29a lining the interior of the body wall Z9 above and below theswitch unit 2.3, as seen in FG. 2C.

ln the larrangement shown, the spacing of the severalV pole pieces forthe two switches 25 and 24 is in coded relation to magnets i9 and Ztlwhereby both switches would be closed. However, the lower switch 23 isnot closed `since the ends or" its pole pieces7 comprising twocircularly spaced rows of Vertical plugs 3l, are oircularly displacedfrom radial alignment with the eective fields of the single vertical rowof magnets Z2. in other words, a rotational adjustment of the runningtool from the relative position illustrated in FlG. 2C, ettected byrotational manipulation of its suspension wire line -will be needed tobring the field pieces 31 into iield relation or radial alignment withthe magnets 22. for influencing the magneto switch 23 and completing acontrol circuit through all switches concurrently to actuate a suitablerelay and close a tiring circuit for the perforating gun.

The perforating gun 32 of a generally conventional type, as seen in FiG.2D, `has one or more vertical rows of radially directed perforatingcharges or shot 33 in a predetermined circular region and its upper endis illustrated as being i redly secured to the lower end of the runningtool body 2% yand to constitute a lsolid unit therewith. Its explosivecharges are connected to be tired by current supplied through a conduitt in a relay circuit controlled :by the series connected switches 23,2f; and Y ZS which need to 'be closed concurrently to complete thecircuit containing the relay. Because of the nonrotatable and spacermounting connection between the perforating gun 32 and the running toolbody 2%, there will be a fired angular and longitudinal relation betweenthe locations of the pertorating shots 33 and the pole pieces 3l anddirection of force projection through the tubing is positivelycontrolled by the location of the set of magnets 2?. oriented at oneside of the tubing.

For coding to any desired one of a series of tubing insert members ornipples having differently spaced magnets and by changing the verticalspaced relation between the switch units 24 and ZS, the upper unit 25 isfastened to the lower end of a vertically shiftable lpost 35 whichextends upwardly the tool body 29 and, as seen in FIG. 2B, ihas a key 3oprojecting outwardly therefrom through an elongated slot 37 in the body29. On its outer face, the key 35 carries helical thread formationsfitted to intern-al screw threads on a rotary sleeve 3S carried in areduced diameter portion or annular notch in the exterior wall of thebody 29 and normally protectively enclosed within an axially shiftableoutside sleeve 3?. Near its upper end, the outer sleeve 39 is internallythreaded to engage co-operating threads at itl on the body wall 29. Toeiect a desired setting before a tool is run into a well, torque isapplied manually to the sleeve 39 Ifor rotating the same and unthreadingit from the screw threads it? to thereby separate and allow the sleeve39 to slide down and expose the manually rotatable sleeve Rotation ofthe sleeve 3% by reason of its threaded engagement with the key 36 isconverted into longitudinal movement of the switch adjusting post 3S fora selective position setting of the switch unit 25 in code relation tothe switch unit 25:. After such setting, the sleeve 39 is raised andrecoupled on the threads 46' in protective overlying relation to therotatably adjustable sleeve nut 38.

ln the upper hollow part of the body 29, there will be located theelectrical components, including such items as the batteries Bl and B2,the relay R and a master switch l1 whose circuitry is diagramed in FIG.7. These electric batteries are sources for supplying current to thecoils of the magneto devices 23, 24 and Z5, to a relay actuating circuitcontrolled by the magneto switches and to the relay controlleddetonating circuit. A manually controlled master safety switch islocated within the top of the tool body and includes a two positionmicroswitch 41 which can be shifted between its positions upon relativemovement of its upwardly extending post 42. lIn one position the gundetonators are grounded and all battery circuits are opened and theother position, established when the tool is about to be lowered, closesthe battery circuits.

Post movement an upward direction is under influence of a coil spring d3when a lateral screw stud 44 is backed out of engagement with a conicalhead end on the post d2. By reason of the co-operating tapered ends ofthe stud d-tand post 4Z, an inward threading of the post le will de,ress the post 42 against the resistance of the spring 43.

As previously indicated, when all three of the magneto devices ormagnetically set switches 23, 2d and 25 are simultaneously influenced bymagnetic fields, then electric current is transmitted to the erforatingdevice, as will readily be apparent from the circuit diagram of PEG. 7.Here the manual switch 41 is represented as a grounded blade movablebetween two contacts, one of which is normally closed and grounds bothsides of the squib or detonator 33 for safety purposes. This groundedswitch blade also has connection through each coil of the magneticallyset switches 23, 2d and 25 with a positive tap on the battery andconnection by way of serially joined switch contacts of the switch units23, Zd and 25 and through the coil of the relay Rl with the positiveterminal of the battery B2. Both batteries have their negative terminalsjoined to the other or normally open contact of the manual switch 4l. Tocondition the control system for operation, the switch 4l is shifted toopen its normally closed contact and to close its normally open contact.Thereupon, current from the battery Bl flows through the parallel coilsof the magnetically set switches 23, 2d and 25 and biases the pivotallymounted coils against swinging movement from positions holding opentheir respective contacts. The tool unit suspended by a wire line cannow be lowered into a well tubing string incorporating sets ofdifferently spaced apart magnets. As these magnets are traversed duringtool descent, their elds individually will be impressed on each movableswitch coil and the coil under inlluence of the field will swing toclose its contacts. Closure of any one of three series connectedswitches while any other of the two switches is open is ineffective forcurrent llow in the circuit containing the coil of the relay Rl. Byreason of selective position adjustment of the switch 25 through itsshiftable post 35 and the rotary sleeve nut 3S, the spaced apartrelation of the pole pieces of the switches 23, 2d and y25 will havebeen preset to match the space apart helds provided by a particular setof the several sets of magnets 22, 29 and 19 in the tubing string,whereby all three of the series connected coils of switches 23, 2id and2S will be simultaneously influenced by magnetic fields only when thetool descends to the preselected set of magnets. Concurrent closing ofthe series connected switches enables battery EZ to energize the relayR1 for directing current from the battery B1 to the detonator 33 forfiring the same.

To summarize the performance of a perforating operation and consideringzone B of FlG; l is to be opened for production through the tubingstring 3, the selector sleeve 38 on the running tool will be adjusted asrequired to preset the position of the relatively adjustable switch unit25 in order to present its pole pieces in given axially spaced apartrelation to the pole pieces of the xedly positioned switch unit 24 andwhich given spaced relation matches the known axial spacing between thefields of the pair of circularly arrayed magnets i9 and Ztl in thenipple l@ next adjacent and above zone fB. The gun perforator 32 will beixedly attached to hang on the tool body so as to place the perforatingcharges 33 below the switch unit pole piece plugs 3l, Si? and 2S adistance corresponding with the known vertical spacing between zone Band the ields of the magnets 22, Ztl and 19 and also to tix thelaterally directed perforating charges 33 in predetermined angnilarrelation with the switch pole pieces 3l which, as previously indicated,are purposely oriented at one side of the tool wall. As was heretoforepointed out, such angular relationship insures aiming of the perforatingcharges at the time of subsequent tiring in the desired direction out ofintersecting relation with the tubing string l. Finally, the safetyswitch 4l is shifted from its grounding position illustrated in FIG. 7to its other position in which the circuits are conditioned for closingthe firing circuit and the tool and gun assembly is lowered within thetubing string 8. When suspension line pay-out and tool descent bringsthe gun perforator within zone B, as seen in FlG. l, the pole pieces 2S,3@ and 3l will be disposed for co-operation with the fields of magnets19, 2d and 22. lf these pole pieces come within the iields in concert,the responsive actions of the eld coils for the series connectedswitches 23, Z4 and 25 effect switch actuation to energize the relay Rlfor closing the gun r'iring circuit. Firing will not occur should thepole pieces 3l be angularly displaced from and outside the elds ofmagnets Z2. :Control of the direction of firing is by relativedisposition of the oriented magnets and pole pieces and since the toolis suspended by wire line, it is not stabilized against turning aboutits longitudinal axis and it is free to swing and present its polepieces 3l within the iields of the lixedly mounted magnets 22 to effectthe firing when the charges are aimed away from the tubing string 1.Swing can be imparted to the tool through the wire ine by itsmanipulation at the wellhead and rotation of the line can be accompaniedby some reciprocation for placing all the pole pieces within magneticfields in unison.

Preferably, the relatively delicate control switches and otherelectrical components contained within the running tool are protectedfrom mechanical shock by filling the housing with a suitable liquid andby balancing internal and external pressures in the manner illustratedin 2B, where the annular space between the post 35 and the housing 2?forms a part of the liquid enclosing chamber and which is closed by apiston or slide ring d5 operating within this annular space and exposedon one side to the illing liquid and on the other side to outsidepressure at the wall opening 4t?.

An arrangement especially adapted for directionally perforating aformation from within a cased hole and between packers in a multiplecompletion installation is illustrated in FIG. 4. The well hole 55B, tobe considered as lined by a casing Si, traverses several potentialproducing horizons, such as shown at X, Y and Z. A bottorn packer 52 isillustrated as being set between the formations Y and Z and around arelatively long production tubing string 53, the side wall of the holehaving been perforated at 53 into the producing formation Z served bythe string 53. A second tubing string 5d extends through the well holein side by side parallelism with the production string 53 and terminatesat its lower end at some predetermined distance above the bottom packer52.

An upper packer 55 surrounds both strings 53 and 54 to seal oft` thewell hole at a distance above at least one of the upper uid containingformations X and Y. The drawing illustrates formations X and Y in thespace between the packers and perforations can be performed into eitherof these horizons for producing the well through the tubing string 54.

One, but preferably both, of the tubing strings will be made lup withnipples containing magnets for selective actuation of tool settingequipment having magneto devices as previously described, the magnetsand setting tools being properly coded one to another. A pair of suchmagnet carrying nipples are diagrammatically shown at 56 in both tubingstrings.

More particularly, the longer tubing string 53 in its downwardlyprojected portion between the packers 52 and 55 and in predeterminedrelation with each fluid containing formation, such as X and Y, isprovided on the eX- terior thereof with groups of magnets arranged incoded sets for controlling actuation of a perforating tooldiagrammatically indicated at 57 and constructed essentially asheretofore described and shown in FIGS. ZA-ZD. vIn other words, the toolwill include a perforating gun having one or more ignitible chargesdirected to project outwardly on radial paths and also having adetonation cir- Vcuit under control of magneto switch means withoutwardly facing pole pieces at least certain of which are segregatedand isolated at one side of the tool in angularly spaced relation withthe radial paths of projection of the perforating charges. In thisinstance, the tool 57 is to be suspended on the lower end of a'wire line53 for lowering and turning manipulation through the tube 54 to belowthe lower end thereof and into lateral alignment with the formationselected for perforating.

Because of the relative angular relationship of the charge and the polepieces in the tool 57, the gun, after having been lowered to a pointadjacent the selected formation, will need to be manipulated through thesuspension wire line 58 so as to eectively line up, both vertically andlaterally, the coded pole piece terminals of the tool with the eld ofactuating magnets and when this is done, the charge will be iired auditspath of projection controlled so as not to intersect any part of thetubing String 53.

For mounting the actuating or control magnets on the exterior of thetubing string 53, a special connector nipple or tubular coupling 59, asseen in FIG. 5, may be employed. lts opposite ends are threaded forinsertion within the tubing string and it has near one end an eX- teriorlocating shoulder 66 for a set of rings, sleeved one after the other onthe outside of the body of the coupler 59. Such rings, as shown, includea pair of nonmagnetic collars 61-61, each having a series of disc orplug magnets 62 arranged in a circular row. Co-operating with the ringsare a number of magnetic spacer collars 63 which can be variouslysequentially positioned for changing the spaced relation selectivelybetween the upper and lower nonmagnetic collars 61 for coding purposes.In addition, there is a longitudinally extended collar 64 of magneticmaterial which has circularly spaced elongated slots angularly spacedapart at about a forty-five degree angle. Within each vertical slot islocated a nonmagnetic insert strip 65 for carrying a vertical row ofspaced apart magnets v66. In this instance the magnetic lines of forcebetween the opposite polarity end faces of the magnets pass through thenonmagnetic strip e and protrude into the space surrounding the tubingstring S3. As seen in FIG. v6, the magnets are of frusto-conical rodshape and iit within outwardly tapered openings in the nonmagneticstrips 65 to insure retention. An end collar or ring 67 may carry asuitable set screw for fastening it securely to the coupler 59 and formaintaining the several rings in tight stacked relation one with anotherand with the uppermost ring against the stop shoulder 6i?.

When three magnetic switches in series connection, as

shown in FIG. 2C, are employed with the perforating gun, the magnets inthe two rings 61-61 will supply fields to two of the switches and onerow of magnets 66 will supply the field for the third magneto switch andwhose field poles,V as previously described, are isolated in one side ofthe tool. Because of the impracticability of being able to set a longtubing string so that a given circular region thereof at a low point iscertain to be at a given radial position, it is here proposed to providethe collar 64 with several vertical rows of magnets circularly spacedapart with a small enough intervening angle that one of the rows willpresent itself on the side of the tubing string 54 for co-operativerelation with the isolated magnet poles of a gun brought into the firingregion. This insures action of the perforator in a direction other thanone which would pierce the tubing string 53.

What is claimed is:

l. Equipment for controlling directional well perforating operations,including a well tubing string member, a permanent magnet carried bysaid member at a selected side thereof with a pole thereof terminatingat the member interior surface and establishing a magnetic held across alimited transverse Zone of said interior surface and transversely of thelongitudinal direction of the member, a wire line suspended device fortravel passage within the tubing string member, magneto means in saiddevice, pole pieces therefor having terminal faces spaced aparttransversely to its direction of travel passage and confined to aselected side zone in the peripheral face of the device for theextension of said magnetic held to the magneto means upon lateralalignment of said terminal faces with the magnetic field, a wire linesuspending said device for travel and constituting a control throughwhich said lateral alignment may be established, a perforating toolsecured to said wire line suspended device, perforating means positionedon said tool for action in a restricted given lateral direction in fixedrelation to the selected side zone location of said terminal faces andoperating means for said perforating means connected with and influencedby said magneto means to actuate said perforatingmeans upon response ofthe magneto means to said magnetic field.

2. Equipment for controlling directional well perforating operationsincluding a plurality of well tubing strings in side by side relation inthe same well bore, a magnet carrying nipple located at a predetermineddepth in one of the tubing strings, a magnet in said nipple having polepieces isolated within a given sector of the nipple, a perforating tooladapted to be lowered through said one of the tubing strings,perforating means carried by the tool and directed for performing aperforating operation laterally thereof within a given circular segmentof the tool, a magneto control operative to effect the action of saidperforating means and mounted as a self-contained part of said tool,held poles for said magneto control terminated at the periphery of thetool and fixed in circular relationship to said given circular segmentto compel relative tool adjustment into position in which the directionof perforating operation of said perforating means is away fromintersecting relation with other tubing strings upon alignment of saidfield poles with the isolated pole pieces of said magnet and toolpositioning means throughV which said tool adjustment is eected.

3. For the performance of directional well perforating operations, awell tubing string, a series of magnet carry- Y ing nipples at spacedapart depth intervals in the tubingy string, spaced apart pole pieces ineach nipple in differently spaced apart relation in the several nipplesfor coded actuating relation with different well tools selectively, oneof such tools being a perforating gun having an electrically actuatedperforating charge mounted for projection in a predetermined direction,magneto devices controlling Vcharge actuating current flow to saidcharge and being carried by said gun, said magneto devices having polepieces spaced apart in coded correspondence with the spaced apartrelation of the magnet pole pieces of a selected one or" said nipples,the pole pieces of one of said magneto devices being in fixed angularrelation to said predetermined direction of charge projection and anumber of the last mentioned magnet pole pieces to which the pole piecesof said magneto device are coded being positioned by said selected onenipple for orienting the gun to a given charge projection directionrelative to the said selected one nipple and gun positioning meansoperable to establish gun position for charge projection in said givendirection.

4. In combination, a Well tubing string having a number of magnetcarrying nipples at spaced apart depth intervals and with pole piecesspaced apart in coded relation to difierent well tools to be actuated inresponse to receipt thereby of magnetic lines of force, one of saidnipples having its magnet pole pieces located for the presentation oflines of force only in an isolated side region of the nipple, aperforating gun for co-operation with the last mentioned nipple, amagneto device contained in the gun and provided with pole piecesisolated within one side of the gun to compel a given rotationalposition of the gun for iniiuencing said device by the magnetic lines offorce through alignment of the pole pieces of the gun and the nipple,means operable on the gun and controlling said given rotational positionand perforating means responsive to said magneto device and mounted bythe gun to perform a perforating operation Within a zone fixed inrelation to the isolated side location of the pole pieces of suchmagneto device.

5. For the actuation at selected levels of Well tools having magnetodevices and pole pieces therefor variously spaced apart, a pair oftubing strings extending through a well hole, sets of magnets positionedin the tubing strings at predetermined depths and spaced apart in codedrelation with pole pieces of certain well tools, one tubing stringextending to a depth to produce from an upper formation and the othertubing string extending to a depth to produce from a lower formation,said other tubing string having sets of magnets exteriorly thereof andin a region in given relation to the upper formation, one of said setsof magnets comprising a number of vertical rows of vertically spacedapart magnets whose spaced apart relation is alike in all rows and whichrows are angularly spaced apart so that regardless of rotationalpositions of said tubing string, there will be one of the severalvertical rows of magnets adjacent a region longitudinally aligned withsaid one tubing string, a perforating gun to be lowered through said onetubing string to the level of the upper formation and having a laterallyprojectable charge and magneto means controlling the firing of saidcharge and having pole pieces arranged in sets which are spaced apart incoded correspondence to the sets of magnets which are exteriorly of saidother tubing string, one of said sets of pole pieces being isolated in aside of the gun angularly spaced from the proiection path of said chargeand gun suspension means operable to control gun position forpresentation of the side isolated pole pieces Within the field of saidone row of magnets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,282,431 Smith et al. May 12, 1942 2,419,468 Smith Apr. 22, 19472,632,959 Boucher Mar. 31, 1953 2,785,754 True Mar. 19, 1957 2,891,620Bielstein June 23, 1959 2,938,584 Tausch et al May 31, 1960 3,032,107Rumble et al May 1, 1962

4. IN COMBINATION, A WELL TUBING STRING HAVING A NUMBER OF MAGNETCARRYING NIPPLES AT SPACED APART DEPTH INTERVALS AND WITH POLE PIECESSPACED APART IN CODED RELATION TO DIFFERENT WELL TOOLS TO BE ACTUATED INRESPONSE TO RECEIPT THEREBY OF MAGNETIC LINES OF FORCE, ONE OF SAIDNIPPLES HAVING ITS MAGNET POLE PIECES LOCATED FOR THE PRESENTATION OFLINES OF FORCE ONLY IN AN ISOLATED SIDE REGION OF THE NIPPLE, APERFORATING GUN FOR CO-OPERATION WITH THE LAST MENTIONED NIPPLE, AMEGNETO DEVICE CONTAINED IN THE GUN AND PROVIDED WITH POLE PIECESISOLATED WITHIN ONE SIDE OF THE GUN TO COMPEL A GIVEN ROTATIONALPOSITION OF THE GUN FOR INFLUENCING SAID DEVICE BY THE MAGNETIC LINES OFFORCE THROUGH ALIGNMENT OF THE POLE PIECES OF THE GUN AND THE NIPPLE,MEANS OPERABLE ON THE GUN AND CONTROLLING SAID GIVEN ROTATIONAL POSITIONAND PRFORATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID MAGNETO DEVICE AND MOUNTED BYTHE GUN TO PERFORM A PERFORATING OPERATION WITHIN A ZONE FIXED INRELATION TO THE ISOLATED SIDE LOCATION OF THE POLE PIECES OF SUCHMAGNETO DEVICE.